According to William Wordsworth, it’s the fairest place on earth, and he helped ensure the beautiful village is one of the most famous literary spots in the world
Made famous by William Wordsworth – and situated south of Keswick and north of Ambleside – Grasmere is one of the most sought-after villages in the Lake District, with property prices up more than 60% since 2019.
As the village is small, there are only a limited number of houses on the market at any one time but is worth registering with an estate agent in order to keep up to date with the housing market. Properties range from idyllic cottages to larger detached homes, with farmhouses and converted barns to be found on the outskirts.
Although it feels like a million miles away from the bustle of towns and cities, it is less than two hours from Manchester and nearby Windermere station offers a service to Manchester Airport. There are also regular buses to Kendal and Lancaster; all of which means you can wander lonely as a cloud in the village to your heart’s content but need never be cut off.
Families are happy with the quality of local schools. Grasmere Primary School is a small church, nursery and primary school in the heart of the village and has an overall ‘outstanding’ rating. The Lakes School, a secondary school in nearby Windermere, has an overall rating of ‘Good’ and there is also the independent Windermere School, which accepts pupils from nursery to sixth form.
Surrounded by inspiring countryside – it certainly inspired Wordsworth and his fellow Lake Poets – Grasmere lends itself perfectly to outdoor pursuits. The Grasmere Cycle Trail is 10 miles, mostly off road with some fairly steep hills. It is a great ride but there are other gentler ones to enjoy. There are heaps of walks – some around the picture-perfect village and others that demand a bit of a hike, with the reward of simply wonderful views. Maybe try the Coffin Trail – not named for its dangers – but because this is the route that medieval coffins took from Rydal to be buried in Grasmere. It really is very picturesque.
Grasmere is not short of places to enjoy refreshments: many of them are dog friendly and almost all have dog water bowls outside – because dogs enjoy exploring Grasmere too. Choose from traditional tea shops and hotels to bistros and historic inns. They all occupy lovely spots and are the ideal place to enjoy late summer al fresco dining or, later, being warmed by a real fire in the first nip of autumn.
Grasmere is super for art lovers, too. There are several selling art galleries, including the world-famous Heaton Cooper Studio, which also houses a stylish café. And the charming streets also house a far bigger range of independent shops than you might expect in such a small village. These include the famous Sarah Nelson Gingerbread, still sold in the original tiny shop next to the churchyard and made to the same ancient recipe. Other shops include a store with over 9000 jigsaws; a bookshop; a pretty garden centre and several shops selling homeware products.
There’s a lively social life in the village too, with plenty going on from amateur dramatics to the annual Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show, which takes place at the end of August. The ancient Rushbearing ceremony takes place in St Oswald’s in in July and is well worth making time to see.
The Wordsworth connection
William Wordsworth will always be connected with Grasmere and literary pilgrims from all over the world come to see the landscape that inspired him. He and his sister, Dorothy – no mean writer herself – lived and wrote in the picturesque Dove Cottage for many years. Visitors can explore the cottage, museum, gardens and orchard before visiting the café. There are usually events and exhibitions here, as well as children’s activities: this October sees Twilight Talks: spooky tales accompanied by dressing up, crafts and hot chocolate.
The Wordsworth graves – including William, Dorothy, his wife, daughter and wider family – are in the graveyard of St Oswald’s, where Wordsworth worshipped. This ancient church where St Oswald himself preached is well worth a look. Next door is The Daffodil Garden, complete with lines from Wordsworth’s work formed from inscribed stones.
A short walk away is Allan Bank, where Wordsworth also lived. It’s a dog friendly National Trust property with wonderful views and hosts exhibitions – Hideyuki Sobue paintings inspired by Beatrix Potter are on show there now.
